A surgical technique designed to preserve proprioceptive signals after amputation should allow patients to sense the location of their prostheses, feedback that is often compromised by convential surgery.

Harvard Puzzles by John de Cuevas

To simply say that the White Cliffs of Dover are made of chalk would miss the point of Life at the Edge of Sight: A Photographic Exploration of the Microbial World. The chalk giving the famous cliffs their white appearance was formed from the exoskeletons of plated marine microbes called coccolithophores.

Italian Herb Burgers on Focaccia

Life doesn’t get much sweeter than a grill surrounded by good friends and laughter, and topped with these Italian-inspired focaccia burgers. Here, fresh mushrooms, red onion, bell pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, sundried tomatoes, and other ingredients belt out an opera of flavors we can all sink our teeth into.

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, except the focaccia.
Pulse until just coarsely chopped, adding more oatmeal as needed (start with 1
cup), until the mixture holds together when you make a patty. Chill the mixture for an hour. Shape into patties about 1⁄2 inch thick
and about 4 inches in diameter. Chill the patties on a plastic wrap–covered
platter for at least 3 hours.

Heat a broiler and a grill to medium-high. Broil the patties about
5 inches from the heat source for 4 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned
(watch them closely, as times may vary), checking to make sure the ingredients
are holding together well. Broiling first will help to prevent them from
falling apart on the grill. Using a grilling screen if desired, transfer the patties
to the heated grill and grill for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.

Serve at once, with the focaccia bread.

YIELD: Varies, but enough for 3 to 4 people

Party on South Peach Salsa

Soft, juicy peaches may seem delicate but with a little
tender loving care, they prove opposites do attract when they meet a flame head
on. One secret is to not remove the skins, which helps the peaches stay intact
and firm, but be sure to remove the pits. And when you throw jalapeño, onion,
and crushed red pepper into the mix for this salsa, the summit of sweet and hot
accents will win over any crowd!

Heat the grill to medium. Brush the quartered peaches with the olive oil. Grill the
peaches until nicely charred (or browned as desired), 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Removing the skin is optional after grilling. Dice the peaches. In a medium-size bowl, combine the peaches
with the rest of the ingredients, mixing well. The salsa can be served warm or
after being refrigerated to let the flavors further set. Serve with tortilla chips, or as a tantalizing garnish for
your favorite dish.

Carousing Cucumber Rounds with Rummy Hummus

These little ditties will have you and your guests
spinning round, round, round while the good times roll. The crunchy
cucumbers cool down the assertive and spicy, lightly rummy hummus, bringing
balance and satisfaction to your tummy.

Ingredients:

1 (14-ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained thoroughly2 canned chipotle peppers, stemmed if necessary, with a teaspoon of the
adobo sauce they were canned with (add more peppers, if desired)1 large garlic clove, coarsely chopped3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice3 tablespoons tahini (mixed well before measuring)2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 tablespoons white rum (or more to taste)1 teaspoon ground cumin1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling1 large english (seedless) cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped at the
supermarket)1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted in a dry skillet just until golden
brown

Directions:

In a
medium bowl, place the chickpeas, chipotles, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, olive
oil, white rum, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Puree with an immersion blender,
scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, about 2 minutes, until the
mixture is smooth and fluffy. Or use a standing blender (see note below). Use a
vegetable peeler to peel the cucumber skin lengthwise at 1/4-inch intervals to
create a striped pattern around the circumference of the cucumber and slice it
crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds. If the cucumber skin is tough, peel the entire
cucumber. Arrange the cucumber discs on a platter. To
assemble, just before serving, lightly salt the cucumber rounds. Top each round
with a generous teaspoon of hummus. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Yield: ABOUT 35 HORS D’OEUVRES

*Note: don’t be tempted to use a food processor to make this
spread because you won’t get that perfectly smooth texture.